Black Friday is finally here, and retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and more are offering early savings on popular fitness trackers and smartwatches. Now is your time to save on brands like Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit.
Smartwatches and fitness trackers make great gifts (including a gift for yourself). These devices can count steps, track your heart rate, and, depending on the model you choose, provide detailed health insights and easy app access. They can also provide valuable information like sleep tracking and blood pressure readings.
Also: The best Black Friday deals: Live updates
We rounded up the best deals on smartwatches and fitness trackers to help you find the best deals based on our device testing and deal-hunting expertise. This list will be updated regularly through Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Our favorite smartwatch and fitness tracker deals for Black Friday 2024
- Current price: $359
- Original price: $430
The Apple Watch Series 10 is lighter and brighter than the rest. ZDNET’s Matthew Miller tried it out and appreciated its smaller build.
Review: Apple Watch Series 10
“The thin and lightweight build not only feels great on the wrist, but it also makes sleep tracking far more comfortable than with the Watch Ultra 2 (and any other bulky wearable), which protrudes an extra 4.7mm and can feel a bit bulky overnight,” he said.
- Current price: $461
- Original price: $650
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a premium smartwatch option for those that use Samsung devices. ZDNET contributor Matthew Miller called it perfectly sized and one of his favorite new smartwatches. It has a host of capabilities like specific running insights and sleep tracking.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
- Current price: $249
- Original price: $300
Smart rings offer a more compact alternative to smartwatches. They may not have a touch screen or tell the time, but they offer more accurate health insights. For the past year, this was our pick for the best smart ring overall, until the new Oura Ring 4 arrived. However, it’s still a solid choice, especially at a discount.
Review: Oura Ring Gen 3
- Current price: $150
- Original price: $300
Apple is not for everybody, as a lot of people may need compatibility with a Samsung smartphone. We’ve got you covered with this deal. The Galaxy Watch 6 is just a model behind the latest Galaxy 7 and has many features like sleep tracking, a heart monitor, and more personal health insights.
Also: 3 surprising features that sold me on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
- Current price: $350
- Original price: $450
Garmin is a reliable brand of fitness trackers for athletes of all trades. This watch, however, treads into smartwatch territory with its touchscreen and messaging abilities. With training apps, phone connectivity, and GPS, this watch can do just about anything. We also ranked it as the best watch for sleep tracking in 2024.
Review: Garmin Venu 3s
Best Black Friday Apple Watch deals
- Apple Watch Series 9 Starlight: $320 (save $80 at Best Buy): This Apple Watch 9 is on sale in the Starlight color, which would be great to match with any outfit.
- Apple Watch SE: $219 (save $80 at Amazon): This watch is our top pick for first-time buyers, kids, and seniors. (Get it on sale in the Starlight color for $170, too.)
- Apple Watch Series 8: $425 (save $104 at Walmart): This series 8 has a great screen size and features like blood pressure and activity monitoring. This one would be a great gift for a first-time watch user.
- Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black Aluminum: $359 (save $70 on Amazon): The newest addition to the Apple Watch lineup, the Series 10 has all the latest and greatest features. This Jet Black band goes with anything, too.
- Apple Watch Series 10 Rose Gold Aluminum: $329 (save $70 at Amazon): The Apple Watch 10 is the newest in Apple’s lineup. It features a bigger display and a longer battery life.
Best Black Friday Samsung Watch deals
Best Black Friday Fitbit deals
- Fitbit Inspire 3 Bundle: $90 (save $40 on Amazon): These Fitbit bundles include chargers, screen protectors, and more, and make great gifts for the holiday season.
- Fitbit Inspire 3: $70 (save $30 on Amazon): This fitness tracker is great for beginners and is under $100.
- Fitbit Charge 6: $100 (save $60 on Amazon): We ranked this tracker as the best overall fitness tracker. This would be a great gift for any workout enthusiast.
- Fitbit Versa 4: $120 (save $80 on Amazon): This smartwatch combines a touch screen with Fitbit’s tracking abilities. If you want a fitness tracker that also has productivity capabilities, check this one out.
Best Black Friday Garmin deals
Best Black Friday smart ring deals
- Oura Ring 3: $249 (save $50 at Best Buy and Amazon): The Oura Ring Gen 3 is now one generation behind but was our tested pick for the best smart ring for the past year. These rarely go on sale, so take advantage if you have been looking for one that’s more affordable than the new Oura Ring 4.
- RingConn Gen 1: $169 (save $110 on Amazon): The RingConn ring is a great way to track your health in a form factor smaller than a watch.
- Amazfit Helio Ring: $150 (save $50): This smart ring is great for someone on a budget. It is water resistant, tracks sleep, and provides precise insights.
Best Black Friday Amazfit smartwatch deals
- Amazfit Falcon Premium Smartwatch: $350 (save $150 on Amazon): Amazfit is a more affordable fitness tracker brand, and you could have one of their premium watches for $150 off.
- Amazfit Bip 5: $70 (save $20 at Best Buy): The Amazfit Bip 5 would be a great gift for a casual athlete in need of a watch to step up their game.
FAQs
What is the best fitness tracker?
The best fitness tracker is one that suits your needs the most. Brands like Fitbit and Garmin specifically cater to athletes and fitness tracking, while Apple and Samsung watches cater more to a brand and compatibility with smartphones, but still offer great health insight options. For example, if you are a runner, the best fitness tracker for you may be the Garmin Forerunner. If you are a more casual athlete but want more productivity functions on your watch, maybe an Apple or Samsung watch may be for you.
What fitness tracker is the most accurate?
Other publications usually cite Garmin as the most accurate fitness tracker, but at this point, just about all of the trackers on this list provide thorough and accurate information.
Do doctors recommend fitness trackers?
They can. Fitness trackers can be handy in the case of certain medical conditions. They could help you monitor your heart rate, sleep, and blood pressure. However, do not become too paranoid about it and/or begin to diagnose yourself — always consult a doctor.
Are Apple Watches good fitness trackers?
Yes. They track performance and encourage exercise. However, I would check out a Garmin model if you are a more serious and dedicated athlete.
Is Fitbit still a good buy?
Yes, absolutely. Fitbit makes some of the best fitness trackers in the market. It is ranked number one on this list for a reason! Fitbits are reliable and tailored to track fitness, acting as perfect devices for casual athletes or workout fanatics.
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is today, the day after Thanksgiving in the US, on November 29.
When is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday takes place the Monday after US Thanksgiving, which falls on Dec. 2 this year.
Are smartwatch and fitness tracker deals really better on Black Friday?
Often, yes. Like most sale days across the calendar year, these wearables may dip in price more than usual. Brands often sell their devices for 10-40%, with some even up to 50%. However, that doesn’t mean a product you’ve been eyeing will get a price cut. Brands tend to lower the price of older models to eliminate stock and make way for newer product versions. However, you may be surprised to find how much things get marked down. There are other occasions within the year, like Amazon Prime Day, where similar price cuts occur. However, Black Friday traditionally holds the best deals.
What’s the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Nothing, really. Before most sales moved online, Black Friday was the biggest shopping occasion of the year, conveniently before the gift-giving season. With the rise of online commerce, holiday sales now take place throughout an entire week, where retailers mark down certain products. Therefore, the only real difference is that Black Friday technically exists in stores, while Cyber Monday is strictly online.
How did we choose these Black Friday deals?
At ZDNET, we only write about and note sales that we would buy ourselves. We carefully dive into the deepest parts of online retailers to find the best deals on products we have tested and recommended- or know is a good buy. We aim to find the deals that save the most money while still offering a great user experience. We also do extensive research if a product is not within our current knowledge. We do the work for you—finding the best deal so you can give the best gifts this holiday season.
Where can you shop the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals?
Retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more offer the best deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Sales will be in-store and in-person, but there will also be lots more online.
What are the best Black Friday 2024 deals?
ZDNET’s experts have been searching through Black Friday sales live now to find the best discounts by category. These are the best Black Friday deals so far, by category:
And more Black Friday deals: